"Whether it happens today, next month or next year, it's likely that postal customers will need to sacrifice at least some of the conveniences they enjoy today," Carper said.

Door-to-door service for new residential and business addresses would cease in a move that would help the agency shift to less costly curbside and cluster box delivery, under the bill. The measure would require the agency to try to convert residential addresses on a voluntary basis from door-to-door service to curbside and cluster box delivery.

The Senate plan includes changes in how pensions and retiree health care costs are calculated in an attempt to stabilize the agency's finances.

It also would impose a two-year moratorium on closing mail processing plants.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee earlier this year approved a bill by its chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., for the service to gradually shift from door delivery to cluster box and curbside delivery. No Democrats on the panel voted for the measure.

Issa's bill also would end Saturday delivery and would change how pension and retiree health costs are calculated to bolster the agency's budget.

The Postal Service is an independent agency that receives no tax dollars for its day-to-day operations but is subject to congressional control.

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